Development plans fail in Nigeria mainly because of

1. Analyze the question The question asks for the main reason Nigeria's development plans (the First National Development Plan 1962-68, the Second, Third and Fourth Plans, and later the Rolling Plans) have failed to achieve their targets.

2. Explain the concept A development plan is a government document that sets out economic goals, such as growth targets, infrastructure projects and industrialisation, along with the resources and timeline for achieving them. Plans succeed only when they are:

• Implemented faithfully
• Funded and monitored properly
• Continued from one government to the next

3. Work through the options

• A. Corruption and political instability: This is the most widely cited cause in Nigerian economics. Funds meant for projects were diverted or inflated through contract fraud, which left projects abandoned or poorly done. Political instability, including the 1966 coups, the civil war (1967-70) and later military takeovers, interrupted plans and caused policy discontinuity. A new government often abandoned the projects of the last one.
• B. Over-dependence on foreign aid: This is a contributing factor, but Nigeria's plans were mostly financed by oil revenue and internal sources, so it is not the main cause.
• C. High cost of plan implementation: Plans are costly, but cost alone does not explain failure. The real problem was how funds were managed.
• D. Shortage of personnel: This was a problem, especially in the early years, but it is a secondary factor and was reduced over time.

4. Answer

Correct option: A

5. Exam tip For "why do plans/projects fail in Nigeria" questions, remember the key phrase "CPI": Corruption, Poor implementation, Instability. If an option combines corruption with a political factor, it is usually the answer. Options with "mainly" or "major" usually point to the broadest, most commonly cited cause.